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Iicport  and  |)iiociJcdini[).'i 


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B  E  L  IF  .A.  S  T 


Natural  flistopy  and  Philosophical  Society 


FOR    THR 


SESSIOX    1B35-8G. 


IJ  K  L  F  A  S  T: 

I'RIXTKD  I!V  Al.KXii.  MAYXE  &  I?OVn,  2,  CORTORATIOX  STRKET 

(I'UiNKKs  TO  TiiK  qikkn's  colij:<;k). 


IMSC. 


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^^pvi  mn\  ^^tt^p 


OF   THE 


B  E  L  J'^A.  S  T 


Natural  History  and  Philosophical  Society, 


FOR   THE 


SESSION    1885-86. 


BELFAST: 

TRINTED  BY  ALEXr.  MAYNE  &  BOYD,  2,  CORrORATION  STREET, 
(PKINEKS   TO  THE   QUEEn'S   COLLEGE). 

188G. 


CONTENTS. 


PAGE 

Annual  Report              ...           ...           ...           ...           ...           •••  1 

Balance  Sheet                ...            ...            ...            ...            ...            •••  ^ 

Donations  to  Museum    ...            ...            ...            ..             ...            ..-  5 

Presidential  Address,  by  Mr.  W.  H.  Patterson,  M.R.I. A.        ...             ...  7 

Eastern   Reminiscences — Aden,    India,   and   Burmah,   by   Mr.   Thomas 

Workman,  J.P.       ...             ...             ...             ..              ...            ...  1'^ 

The  New  Bridge  over  the  Firth  of  Forth,  by  Professor  Fitzgerald        ...  10 

Important  Local  Geological  Discovery,  by  Mr.  WUliam  Swanston,  F.G.S.  18 

A  Human  Skull  found  at  Tillysburn           ...            ...             ...            ...  19 

An  Experimental  Fishing  Tiip  off  the  North  and  East  Coasts  of  Ireland, 

by  Mr.  John  Brown               ...            ...            ...             ...            ...  20 

The  Ancient  Civilisation  of  Peru,  including  its  Textile  Industries,  by 

Mr.  F.  MuUigan 21 

The  Old  Gate  at  Canickfergus     ...            ...            ...            ...            ...  23 

The  Old  Cross  at  Dromore            ...             ...            ...            ...            ...  23 

"Wet  and  Dry  Weather,  by  Mr.  Joseph  John  Murphy              ...             ...  24 

A  Recent  Visit  to  Tory  Island,  by  Mr,  R.  Lloyd  Patterson     ...             ...  27 

List  of  Office-Bearers     ...             ...             ...            ...             ...            ...  31 

List  of  Shareholders  and  Subscribers,          ...            ...             ...             ...  32 

Books  Received              ,..            ...            ...            ...            ...            ...  39 


lelfast  !f  atural  f  istory  and  Ihilosophical  Society. 


ESTABLISHED      18S1 


SHAREHOLDERS. 

1  Share  in  the  Society  costs  £7. 

2  Shares    ,,         ,,        cost  £13. 

3  Shares    ,,         ,,        cost  £21. 

The  proprietor  of  1  Share  pays  10s.  per  annum  ;  the  proprietor  of  2  Shares 
pays  5s.  per  annum  ;  the  proprietor  of  three  or  more  Shares  stands  exempt  from 
fiorther  payment. 

MEMBERS. 

There  are  two  classes,  Ordinary  Members,  who  are  expected  to  read  Papers, 
and  Visiting  Members,  who,  by  joining  under  the  latter  title,  aie  understood  to 
intimate  that  they  do  not  wish  to  read  Papers.  The  Session  for  Lectures  extends 
from  November  in  one  year  till  May  in  the  succeeding  one.  Members,  Ordinary 
or  Visiting,  pay  £1  Is.  per  annum,  due  1st  November  in  each  year. 

PRIVILEGES. 

Each  Shareholder  and  Member  has  the  right  of  personal  attendance  at  all 
meetings  of  the  Society,  and  of  admitting  a  friend  thereto ;  also  of  access  to  the 
Museum  for  himself  and  family,  with  the  privilege  of  granting  admission  orders 
for  inspecting  the  collections  to  any  friend  not  residing  in  Belfast. 

Any  further  information  can  be  obtained  by  application  to  the  Secretary. 
It  is  requested  that  all  accounts  due  by  the  Society  be  sent  to  the  Treasurer, 


The  Museum,  College  Square  North,  is  open  daily  from  12  till  4  o'clock. 
Admission  for  Strangers,  6d.  each.  The  Curator  is  in  constant  attendance,  and 
will  take  charge  of  any  Donation  kindly  left  for  the  Museum  or  Library. 


BELFAST 

IRatural  1bi6tor^  an^  pbilosopbical  Societv^ 


ANNUAL    REPORT,    1886. 


The  Annual  Meeting  of  the  Shareholders  of  the  above  named 
Society  was  held  on  the  3rd  June,  1886,  at  three  o'clock,  in  the 
Museum,  College  Square  North.  There  were  present  : — The 
President,  Mr.  W.  H.  Patterson,  M.R.I.A.  ;  Mr.  R.  L.  Patter- 
son, J.P.,  F.L.S.  ;  Mr.  Robert  Young,  C.E.  ;  Mr.  Robert  M. 
Young  ;  Mr.  Thomas  Workman,  J.P.  ;  Mr.  Wm.  Gray, 
M.R.I.A. ;  Mr.  Wm.  Swanston,  Rev.  John  Kinghan,  Mr.  W. 
Meharg,  and  Mr.  Isaac  Ward. 

The  Secretary  (Mr.  R.  M.  Young)  read  the  report  as  follows : — 
"  The  Council  of  the  Natural  History  and  Philosophical  Society, 
appointed  by  the  shareholders  at  their  annual  meeting  on  the 
14th  May,  1885,  desire  to  submit  their  report  of  the  working  of 
the  Society  during  the  past  year.  The  winter  session  was 
opened  on  November  3rd,  1885,  with  an  address  from  your 
President,  Mr.  Wm.  H.  Patterson,  M.R.I.A.,  the  subject  selected 
being  '  The  History  and  Legends  of  some  Irish  Lakes.'  The 
second  meeting  was  held  on  January  5th,  1886,  when  Mr. 
Thomas  Workman,  J. P.,  read  a  paper  on  '  Eastern  Reminis- 
cences, Aden,  India,  and  Burmah.'  The  lecture  was  illustrated 
by  a  series  of  admirable  photographs  and  lantern  views.  The 
third  meeting  was  held  on  February  2nd,  18S6,  when  Professor 
Fitzgerald  read  a  paper  on  '  The  Forth  Bridge,'  illustrated  by 
a  model  and  diagrams.  Mr.  Wm.  Swanston,  F.G.S.,  also  gave 
a  paper  on  'Supposed  Saurian  Remains  from  the  Antrim  Chalk.' 
A  short  communication  by  Mr.  John  Anderson,  J. P.,  F.G.S., 
on  *  A  Human  Skull  Recently  Found  at  Tillysburn,'  was  also 


read.     The  fourth  meeting  was  held  on  March  2nd,  f  886,  when 
Mr.  John  Brown  read  a  paper  on  '  An  Experimental  Fishing 
Trip  off  the  North  and  East  Coast  of  Ireland.'     Mr.  Seaton  F. 
Milligan  also  gave  a  valuable  paper  on  '  The  Ancient  Civilisa- 
tion of  Peru,  including  its  Textile  Industries,'  illustrated  by  a 
large  collection  of  specimens  of  woven  and  dyed  fabrics,  patterns, 
personal  ornaments,  &c.,  excavated  from  the  Huacas.     Samples 
of  modern  artistic  linen  goods  were  also  exhibited  for  comparison. 
The  fifth  meeting  was   held   on  April  6th,    1886,  when  Mr. 
Joseph   J.   Murphy,  F.G.S.,  read  a  paper  on   '  Wet  and  Dry 
Weather,'  and  Mr.  R.  Lloyd  Patterson,  J. P.,  F.L.S.,  another  on 
'A    recent  Visit   to  Tory  Island,'  illustrated  by  photographs. 
A  short  notice  of  some  moths  new  to  Ireland,  by  Rev.   John 
Bristow,  A.M.,  was  also  read.     Owing   to  the  Parliamentary 
general  election  falling  about  the  same  date,  it  was  considered 
advisable  to  hold  no  meeting  of  the  Society  in  December.     In 
addition  to  these  ordinary  meetings,  your  Council  arranged  for 
a  special  series  of  popular  scientific  lectures   similar   to  those 
given   in    former  years.     These  were  well  attended,  both   by 
members  of  the  Society,  who  were  admitted  free,  and  by  the 
general  public.     The  first  of  these  special  meetings  was  held  on 
January  7th,  t886,  in  St.  George's  Hall,  when  a  lecture  was  deli- 
vered by  the  Rev.  J.  G.  Wood,  M.A.,  F.L.S.,  on  '  Pond  and  Stream 
Life.'     The  second  meeting  was  held  on  February  4th,   1886, 
when  the  Rev,  W.  S.  Green,  M. A.,  gave  a  lecture  on  '  My  Adven- 
tures in  the  New  Zealand  Alps.'     The  concluding  meeting  of 
the  series  was  held  on  March  4th,   1886,  in  the  Ulster  Minor 
Hall,  when  Mr  John  Greenhill,  Mus.  Bac,  most  kindly  gave  a 
lecture  on  '  Music  :  Its  Science,  Theory,    and  Practice,'  with 
numerous  experiments  and  illustrations. 

"  It  will  be  seen  from  the  treasurer's  report  that  the  financial 
condition  of  the  Society  continues  to  show  improvement.  In 
addition  to  sale  of  new  shares,  all  those  available  which  had 
fallen  into  arrears  within  the  last  six  or  seven  years  have  been 
transferred  to  new  holders,  who  have  paid  all  arrears,  and  will 
continue  the  subscriptions.     The  number  of  smaller  societies 


holding  their  meetings  in  the  Museum  had  also  greatly  in- 
creased. The  balance  now  carried  forward  will,  no  doubt, 
enable  the  Council  of  next  year  to  carry  out  some  of  the  much 
needed  work  so  often  deferred  for  want  of  funds. 

"  A  list  of  donations  to  the  Museum  and  of  foreign  and  home 
societies,  with  other  publications  for  the  library,  is  to  be  printed 
with  the  present  report  The  Council  would  thank  the  various 
donors  for  their  valuable  gifts,  and  particularly  Lord  Claremont 
for  his  thoughtful  kindness  in  presenting  six  volumes  of  the 
Ray  Society  publications  and  other  valuable  books.  Captain 
Robert  Campbell,  of  the  ship  Slieve  Donard,  has  also  supple- 
mented his  previous  generous  donations  by  further  interesting 
specimens  collected  at  foreign  ports. 

"  On  Easter  Monday  the  Museum  was  opened  as  usual  at  a 
nominal  charge,  and  the  attendance  was,  as  is  always  the  case, 
very  large. 

"  The  ceiling  in  the  lecture  hall,  having  shown  some  defects, 
has  been  repaired,  and  some  other  improvements  effected  of  a 
trifling  kind. 

''The  library  having  become  overcrowded,  arrangements  are 
being  made  to  increase  the  accommodation  for  books  and 
pamphlets,  of  which  a  large  number  have  been  received  during 
the  year. 

''  Your  Council  now  retire  from  office,  and  this  meeting  will 
be  asked  to  select  fifteen  members  to  form  a  new  Council." 


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DONATIONS  TO  THE  MUSEUM,  1885-6. 


From  Pearson  Anderson  Esq.,  Denver,  Color.ado. 
Specimen  of  prairie  dog  or  barking  squirrel  (Conomys  Coluni- 

bianus),  shot  near  Denver. 
From  Captain    Robert    Campbell,  Master    of    the    Ship 

"  Slieve  Donard." 

One  Malay  fighting  knife,  one  pair  Afghan  boots,  one  Burmese 

figure  (idol),  from  the  caves  at  Moulmain,  one  skin  of 

wild  cat,  and  the  skin  of  the  feet  of  an  albatross. 

From  Miss  Grattan,  Coolgreany,  Fortwilliam  Park. 

Craniometer  used  by  the  late  John  Grattan  Esq.,  in  his  cranio- 

logical  researches. 

From  Mr.  J.  Kernahan,  Glenavy. 
Two  flint  arrow-heads,  found  near  Glenavy. 
From  Captain  \V.  H.  Lowry,  Singapore.    Per  W.   II.  K. 

LowRY,  Esq.,  Kh-lyleagh. 
One  Indian  snake  preserved  in  spirits. 

From  Captain  M'Cance,  J.  P.  Knocknagoney,   Strandtown. 
Human  skull  found  when  excavating  near  the  shore  at  Tillys- 
burn. 

From  William  Swanston,  Esq.,  F.  G.  S. 
Collection  of  fossil  fish  remains  (66  specimens,  representing  36 
species)  from  the  carboniferous  limestone  of  Armagh,  and 
a  number  of  molluscan  remains  from  the  same  beds. 
From  James  Turner,  Esq.,  Mountain  Bush. 
Portion  of  vertebral  column  of  mososaurus  from  the  hard  chalk 
of  White  well. 
From  Thomas  Watson,  Esq.,  Londonderry. 
Upper  stone  of  an  ancient  quern,  found  at  St.  Johnston,  Count}- 
Donegal. 
From  Thomas  Workman,  Esq.,  J.  P.,  Craigdarragh. 
Specimen  of  Gecko  preserved  in  spirits. 


BEL  F.A.ST 

NATURAL  HISTORY  AND  PHILOSOPHICAL  SOCIETY, 
SESSION,     1885-86. 


3 rd  November^  1885. 


The   President,   Mr.   W.    H.    Patterson,   M.R.I. A.,   read   a 

Paper  on 

THE  HISTORY  AND  LEGENDS  OF  SOME  IRISH 
LAKES. 


The  leading  idea  in  olden  times  about  a  lake  was  that  it  came  as 
an  intruder  to  the  place  in  which  it  rested,  and  that  up  to  a  certain 
period  in  the  history  of  the  country  no  lake  was  there.  Regard- 
ing the  origin  of  Lough  Ovvel,  in  Westmeath,  there  is  a  legend 
which  tells  how  a  certain  fairy  or  witch  who  presided  over  the 
fertile  valley  where  Lough  Owel  now  rests  went  on  a  visit  to 
another  witch,  who  lived  in  the  County  of  Roscommon,  near 
Athlone,  and  a  very  agreeable  visit  she  had  till  near  the  end, 
when  her  heart  became  stirred  up  with  envy  of  a  fine  lake  that  the 
Connaught  witch  had  in  her  territory,  for  not  only  did  the  lake 
supply  the  owner  with  fish  and  wild  fowl,  but  by  means  of  it 
she  was  enabled  to  curse  her  enemies,  a  practice  that  witches 
have  been  fond  of  in  all  times.  The  cursing  was  managed  by 
turning  certain  flat  stones  at  the  edge  of  the  water,  and  ever  as 
the  ninth  wave  lapped  over  them  she  pronounced  her  maledic- 
tions. The  Westmeath  witch  determined  upon  a  bold  step. 
She  asked  for  the  loan  of  the  lake,  saying  she  wished  to  see  how 
well  it  would  look  in  her  own  valley,  and  she  promised  that  she 


8 

would  return  it  on  the  very  next  Monday.  The  Connaught 
witch  was  willing  to  oblige.  ''  But  how,  dear,  will  you  take  it 
or  send  it  back  ? "  she  asked.  "  Oh,  easy  enough  ;  in  my  pocket- 
handkerchief,"  was  the  answer.  And,  sure  enough,  this  was 
the  way  she  managed  ;  and  passing  safely  over  Lough  Ree  and 
several  trifling  obstacles,  such  as  rivers  and  mountains,  with  a 
slip  of  the  corner  of  her  handkerchief  she  let  the  lake  out  quietly 
into  the  valley  of  the  Owel,  where  it  settled  itself  as  if  it  had 
been  born  and  bred  there,  and  there  it  may  be  seen  to  this 
day  ;  for  the  Westmeath  witch  snapped  her  fingers  at  her 
Connaught  sister  and  flatly  refused  to  bring  the  lake  back.  Of 
course  there  was  a  terrible  row,  but  the  end  of  it  was  that  the 
lake  was  lost  to  Roscommon  for  ever,  and  the  former  owner 
had  to  content  herself  with  as  ugly  a  hollow  as  anyone  ever 
saw,  where  once  those  sweet  waters  used  to  flow,  all  covered 
with  limestone  flags  as  waste  as  a  graveyard.  But  the  lough 
itself  did  not  like  to  stay  on  the  Leinster  side  of  the  Shannon, 
and  so  it  sent  forth  two  streams — one  from  its  northern,  and 
another  from  its  southern  end — both  of  which,  bounding  west- 
wards— and  they  are  called  by  the  people  the  gold  and  silver 
bands — stretched  towards  Connaught,  forming  the  head  waters 
of  the  Inney  and  the  Brusna. 

However,  the  Ordnance  Survey  and  the  Geological  Survey, 
having  passed  over  the  whole  of  the  land,  furnished  some  very 
clear  ideas  as  to  how  the  lakes  of  Ireland  hav^e  been  formed. 
Professor  Hull,  Director  of  the  Geological  Survey,  in  his  work  on 
the  physical  geology  of  Ireland,  says : — "All  the  lakes  of  Ireland 
may  with  great  probability  be  classified,  as  regards  their  mode  of 
formation,  under  the  three  following  heads,  viz.  : — i,  lakes  of 
mechanical  origin  ;  2,  lakes  of  glacial  origin  ;  3,  lakes  of  chemical 
solution."  Under  the  head  of  mechanical  origin.  Dr.  Hull 
includes  lakes  "  which,  while  they  may  have  been  modified  in 
form  by  other  agencies,  are  primarily  due  to  the  faults  or  dis- 
locations of  the  strata,"  and  in  that  division  he  places  Lough 
Neagh  and  Lough  Allen,  two  remarkable  examples  of  lakes 
formed  in  that  way. 


Dr.  Hull  says  : — ''The  origin  of  Lough  Neagh  has  been  a 
subject  of  much  speculation  and  of  some  mystery,  because,  being 
older  than  the  glacial  epoch,  it  cannot  be  referred  to  glacial 
agency,  and,  being  situated  on  deposits  other  than  limestones, 
it  cannot  be  considered  as  the  result  of  chemical  solution.  Its 
proximity  to  the  old  volcanic  region  of  Antrim  has  naturally 
led  to  the  inference  that  it  was  in  some  way  connected  with 
local  sinking  of  the  surface  through  volcanic  agency.  It  was 
not,  however,  till  the  geological  structure  of  the  adjoining 
districts  of  Tyrone  on  one  side,  and  Antrim  on  the  other,  had 
been  accurately  laid  down  on  the  maps  of  the  Geological  Survey, 
that  a  key  to  the  history  of  its  origin  was  found  ;  and  Mr.  W. 
E.  T.  Hardman,  one  of  the  officers  of  the  Survey,  has  very  ably 
applied  the  results  of  his  examination  of  the  district  surrounding 
that  lough  to  the  determination  of  its  mode  of  formation.  Its 
northern  portion  is  bounded  by  the  miocene  basalts  of  Antrim  ; 
its  southern,  partly  by  alluvial  tracts,  partly  by  masses  of  drift 
resting  on  pliocene  clays,  which  in  turn  overlie  the  triassic  or 
carboniferous  strata.  Its  length  from  north  to  south  is  fifteen 
miles,  and  its  breadth  twelve,  giving  an  area  of  nearly  one 
hundred  and  fifty  square  miles.  The  general  depth  is  only  from 
20  to  40  feet,  gradually  increasing  towards  the  northern  shore  ; 
and  the  surface  is  48  feet  above  that  of  the  sea.  Mr.  Hardman 
shows  that  along  the  southern  shores  the  pliocene  clays  origin- 
ally deposited  under  the  waters  of  the  lake  rise  to  a  level  of  120 
feet  above  the  sea,  or  72  feet  above  the  existing  surface  of  the 
lake,  showing  how  much  greater  the  area  of  the  lake  must 
have  been  in  this  direction. 

"  During  the  progress  of  the  survey  it  was  found  that  the  strata 
on  both  sides  of  the  lake  are  traversed  by  several  large  faults 
ranging  in  E.  N.  E.  directions.  One  of  these  ranges  through 
the  basaltic  plateau  of  Antrim  by  Templepatrick,  where  the 
vertical  displacement  is  about  500  feet,  the  downthrow  being 
on  the  south  side.  These  faults  are  later  than  the  basaltic 
sheets  of  the  miocene  age  which  they  displace,  and  of  older 
date  than  the  pliocene  clays,  which  are  not  affected  by  them. 


lO 

the  ground  having  been  smoothed  down,  and  the  inequalities 
caused  by  the  dislocation  of  the  beds  having  been  worn  away, 
by  denuding  agencies  before  the  clays  were  deposited.  It  was 
to  the  depression  of  the  surface  through  the  agency  of  these 
faults  that,  according  to  Mr.  Hardman,  the  formation  of  the  lake 
is  due.  This  lake,  therefore,  forms  an  illustration  of  a  basin 
formed  by  the  mechanical  action  of  faults  in  the  strata,  assisted 
by  the  action  of  running  water." 

Lakes  of  glacial  origin  are  found  in  many  parts  of  Ireland,  but 
chiefly  among  mountain  glens  and  in  front  of  valleys.  These 
lake-basins  are  hollow,  scooped  out  of  the  rock  by  the  action  of 
ice  passing  over  its  surface,  or  else,  as  Dr.  Hull  has  pointed  out, 
"  where  moraine  matter  or  boulder  clay  has  been  heaped  up  across 
a  valley  or  hollow  so  as  to  form  an  embankment  for  the  streams 
which  enter  the  depression  from  above."  The  class  of  lakes  which 
are  due  to  chemical  solution  are  chiefly  found  in  the  great  central 
plain  of  Ireland,  but  they  are  met  with  in  all  limestone  districts. 
They  are,  "  strictly  speaking,  irregular  hollows  dissolved  out  of 
the  limestone  floor  and  filled  with  water."  Dr.  Hull  says  that 
in  examining  the  form  of  these  lakes  of  chemical  solution, 
"  from  the  manner  in  which  they  widen  out  in  some  places,  and 
in  others  become  contracted,  it  will  generally  be  found  that  they 
spread  themselves  out  over  the  ground  formed  of  limestone, 
and  contract  where  non-calcareous  rocks  form  the  bed  and 
margin  of  the  lake.     Lough  Derg  is  an  illustration  of  this." 

Mr.  Patterson  then  directed  attention  to  the  mention  made 
in  the  "  Four  Masters"  concerning  the  eruption  of  lakes,  the 
first  eruption  being  in  the  year  of  the  world  2532.  The  passage, 
as  translated  by  O'Donovan,  reads — "The  age  of  the  world 
2532.  The  eruption  of  Loch  Con  and  Loch  Techet  in  this 
year."  O'Donovan  explains  that  Loch  Con  is  a  large  lake  in 
the  barony  of  Tirauley,  and  County  of  Mayo.  In  the  age  of 
the  world  3506  the  eruption  of  a  large  number  of  the  Irish  lakes 
took  place.  Amongst  these  was  Loch  Laogh,  the  ancient  name 
of  Belfast  Lough,  and  which  means  in  Irish  the  Lake  of  the 
Calf.     The  early   monkish  writers  translated  the  name  into 


II 

Latin,  and  called  it  Lacus  Vituli.  In  the  concluding  portion 
of  the  lecture  Mr.  Patterson  brought  under  the  attention  of 
the  meeting  a  most  interesting  collection  of  legends  concerning 
many  of  the  Irish  lakes.  There  were  two  aspects  in  which  the 
Irish  loughs  must  be  considered  when  looked  at  historically. 
In  connection  with  the  many  invasions  of  Danes  and  North- 
men mention  was  made  of  the  terrible  sea  fights  that  had  often 
occurred.  Such  loughs  as  Foyle  and  Swilly,  Larne  and  Belfast, 
Strangford  and  Carlingford,  Waterford,  Wexford,  and  the 
estuary  of  the  Shannon,  were  so  many  open  gates  by  which 
these  sea  rovers  entered  our  country,  and  from  whence  they 
ascended  by  the  river  valleys  to  the  more  central  parts  of  the 
island.  The  other  aspect,  which  he  could  only  mention,  was 
that  of  the  fortified  islands,  of  which  such  numbers  exist  in 
the  smaller  Irish  lakes,  most  frequently  artificial  ones,  or  cran- 
nogs.  These  crannogs  were  the  strongholds  of  provincial  chiefs. 
They  were  places  of  great  security,  and  took  the  same  place 
among  the  Irish  as  the  stone  castles  of  the  Anglo  Normans 
among  the  English  of  the  Pale. 


12 


'^th  January^   i< 


Mr.  Joseph  J.  Murphy,  in  the  Chair. 


Mr.  Thomas  Workman,  J.P.,  read  a  Paper  on 

EASTERN    REMINISCENCES— ADEN,    INDIA,    AND 
BURMAH. 


Mr.  Thomas  Workman  staled  that  his  lecture  was  a  con- 
tinuation of  a  former  one,  descriptive  of  his  voyage  to  and  residence 
in  different  parts  of  India  and  Burmah.  He  commenced  by  a 
description  of  the  shores  of  the  Red  Sea,  referring  to  the  gorgeous 
colouring  of  the  mountains  which  crown  them.  One  of  these 
mountains  is  the  famous  three-peaked  Jebel  Katharina,  better 
known  by  its  ancient  name  of  Mount  Sinai.  The  Red  Sea, 
though  fog  or  snow  are  utterly  unknown  and  storms  are  very 
rare,  is,  nevertheless,  one  of  the  most  dangerous  seas  known  to 
navigators,  and  in  it  the  seaman  is  never  free  from  anxiety  on 
account  of  the  haze  and  mirage  which  prevail.  At  the  island 
of  Perim,  where  the  Red  Sea  narrows  to  the  straits  of  Bab-el- 
Mandeb,  or  the  Gate  of  Tears,  the  hulls  of  many  steamers  may 
be  seen  along  the  shore  as  warning  beacons  to  the  careless  navi- 
gator. Its  name  of  Gate  of  Tears  is  said  to  have  been  given  to 
it  because  of  the  disasters  sailors  met  in  its  vicinity.  A  short 
distance  round  the  projecting  coastline  from  the  straits  of  Bab- 
el-Mandeb  is  the  port  and  town  of  Aden,  which  in  Arabic  means 
Paradise,  though  to  the  British  traveller  another  name  would 
seem  more  suitable.  The  town  is  situated  in  a  valley — ap- 
parently the  crater  of  an  extinct  volcano — and  is  surrounded  by 


13 

mountains  of  volcanic  trap,  without  vegetation.  The  water  for 
the  supply  of  the  town  is  collected  in  the  rainy  season,  in 
enormous  tanks,  formed  by  walls  of  concrete  built  across  the 
lower  ends  of  the  valleys.  In  the  Bay  of  Aden  the  weather  is 
usually  lovely.  Many  beautiful  jelly-fish,  of  every  possible  hue, 
may  here  be  seen  "  within  the  shadow  of  the  ship  " — 

"  Blue,  glossy  green  and  velvet  black, 
They  coiled  and  swam,  and  every  track 
"Was  a  flash  of  golden  fire." 

The  town  and  precincts  of  Colombo,  in  the  island  of  Ceylon, 
are  exceedingly  interesting,  both  from  the  richness  of  the  tropical 
scenery  and  the  picturesqueness  of  the  Kanarese,  as  the  natives 
of  Ceylon  are  called.  The  native  boats,  which  are  long  and 
narrow,  and  have  a  curious  outrigger  to  keep  them  from  cap- 
sizing, have  always  attracted  attention  from  the  passing  traveller, 
both  from  their  peculiar  construction  and  their  great  speed.  The 
Mohammedans  have  a  legend  that  the  Garden  of  Eden  was  in 
heaven  and  not  on  earth,  and  that  when  Adam  and  Eve  were 
cast  out  Adam  fell  on  Adam's  Peak,  the  highest  mountain  in 
Ceylon,  where  the  mark  of  his  foot  can  be  seen  at  the  present 
day  to  attest  the  truth  of  the  legend.  Eve,  they  say,  fell  some- 
where else,  and  she  and  Adam  went  about  the  world  for  200 
years  seeking  for  one  another.  Fortunately,  by  a  happy  accident, 
they  met  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Mecca,  after  an  amount  of 
journeying  to  which  the  wanderings  of  Evangeline  were  but  a 
trifle.  The  lecturer  next  gave  an  account  of  a  visit  to  the  temple 
of  Kali,  at  Calcutta,  and  a  description  of  the  effigies  and  pictures 
of  this  hideous  goddess  and  her  fabled  attributes.  Kali  or  Kali 
Ma — "  the  black  mother,"  as  she  is  called — is  represented  as  a 
female  with  four  arms.  In  one  she  holds  a  sword,  in  another 
the  head  of  the  giant  Ravena,  whom  she  has  slain  ;  with  the  other 
two  she  is  encouraging  her  worshippers.  For  earrings  she  has 
two  dead  bodies,  and  she  wears  a  necklace  of  skulls.  Her  only 
clothing  is  a  girdle  made  of  human  hands.  She  stands  with  one 
foot  on  the  thigh  and  the  other  on  the  breast  of  her  husband 
Siva.  It  seems  impossible  to  realise  that  such  a  hideous  figure 
could  be  an  object  of  reverence  or  love  to  any  human  being. 


H 

The  lecturer  made  some  observations  on  the  serious  danger 
of  a  State  education  that  refuses  to  deal  with  religion.  Though 
the  Hindu  religion  seems  so  terribly  degrading  that  one  might 
at  first  sight  be  inclined  to  say  that  no  religion  would  be  pre- 
ferable to  it,  yet  it  is  a  grave  question  whether  human  nature 
is  not  better  with  a  religion  of  a  very  low  type  than  without  a 
religion  at  all,  and,  of  course,  when  our  scientific  education 
comes  to  these  people  their  present  faiths  must  disappear, 
leaving  nothing  under  the  present  system  to  take  its  place  but 
blank  atheism. 

The  lecturer  described  his  journey,  after  leaving  Calcutta, 
to  British  Burmah,  and  his  visits  to  the  three  principal 
towns — Rangoon,  Bassein,  and  Moulmein.  He  was  much  im- 
pressed with  the  enormous  size  and  magnificence  of  the  Showay 
Dragon  Pagoda,  or  great  golden  temple  of  Godama,  at  Rangoon. 
The  area  on  which  this  pagoda  stands  is  800  feet  square.  The 
entrance  is  approached  by  an  enormous  flight  of  stairs,  which 
is  guarded  by  two  huge  mystical  figures  about  fifty  feet  high, 
with  blue  heads  and  red  mouths.  The  pagoda  itself  is  a 
stupendous  mass  of  solid  masonry  tapering  gradually  from  an 
octagonal  base,  1,355  square  feet  in  extent,  to  a  spire  of  small 
circumference,  surmounted  by  the  sacred  ''  tie  "  or  umbrella,  of 
open  ironwork.  The  umbrella  is  said  to  be  studded  with  jewels 
of  very  great  value,  and  the  whole  building  is  one  blaze  of  gold. 
The  "  Pooh  Yees,"  or  Buddish  priests,  dress  in  a  long  yellow 
garment,  and  live  in  monasteries  called  kouyns,  made  of  wood, 
and  richly  carved.  At  Maybin,  a  village  on  the  Irrawaddy, 
the  mosquitoes  are  so  fierce  and  numerous  that  large  fires  have 
to  be  lighted  by  the  natives  in  the  evening  to  keep  them  away, 
and  even  the  horses  and  milch  cows  are  sheltered  by  mosquito 
nets.  The  Burmese  seem  to  lead  a  quiet,  contented  life,  and, 
as  far  as  one  can  judge,  are  fairly  satisfied  with  the  British  rule. 
The  women,  unlike  their  sisters  in  India,  are  allowed  much 
freedom  by  social  custom,  and  many  of  them  take  an  active  and 
independent  interest  in  business  affairs,  such  as  the  sale  of  rice 
and  other  produce. 


15 

Mr.  Robert  L.   Patterson,   J. P.,    F.L.S.,  said  they  were  all 
indebted    to    Mr.   Workman   for  his  interesting  lecture.     Mr. 
Workman  did  not  appear  to    have  ventured   very  far  into  the 
interior,  but  the  information  he  had  been   able  to  gather   was 
particularly  interesting  just  now,  as  the  attention  of  everybody 
in  this  country  had  lately  been  attracted  to  the  action  of  the 
British  Government  in  Burmah,  and  in  annexing  upper  Bur- 
mah,  in  order  to  put  an  end  to  the  misrule,   the  bloodshed, 
and  the  cruelty  that  had  obtained  there.     A  friend  of  his  who 
visited  Burmah  last  year  told  him  a  rather  curious  circum- 
stance,   which,    in    connection    with     what    they   had  heard 
that  evening,   it   might  not  be   uninteresting  to   repeat.     Mr. 
George  Burns,  of  Glasgow,  being  in  Burmah,  wished  to   pay   a 
visit  to  Mandalay,  but  was  informed  that  the  journey  was   not 
unattended  with  some  risk.     However,   he  determined  to  go. 
He  discovered  that  on  the  Irrawaddy  navigation  could  only  be 
carried  on  by  day,  as  the  river  was  not  lighted  and  was  full   of 
obstructions.     The  journey  occupied  ten  or  eleven  days.     One 
night  they  observed  a  curious  object  on  the  shore  at  some  dis- 
tance from  the  water  edge,   and  on  their  going  near  it  they 
were  horrified  to  find  that  it  was  a  man  who  had  been  crucified 
that    morning.     He   (Mr.    Patterson)   was    unaware    until    he 
learned  this  that  the  horrible  punishment  of  death  by  crucifixion 
obtained  in  any  country,   even   in   an   uncivilised   country,  at 
the  present  day.     The  man  crucified   was  a  dacoit  or  robber, 
who,  as  a  rule,  scrupled  little  about  committing  murder  for  the 
purpose    of  accomplishing   their   ends.     After   the  dacoit  was 
crucified  he  had  been  speared  to  death,  and   the  vultures  were 
at  the  time  gathering  to  pick  his  bones.     Mr.    Burns,  when  in 
Mandalay,  had  an  interview  with  the  Prime  Minister,   but  he 
was  not  given  an  interview  with    the  King.     Mr.   Burns   de- 
scribed the  country  as  being  very  fertile,   and   was  of  opinion 
that  it  only  required  a  strong  and  stable  government   to  bring 
it  to  a  state  of  civilisation,  in  order  to  make  it  a  good  customer 
of  ours.     Such  a  government,  he  hoped  Burmah   would    have 

in  the  future. 


i6 


2)rd  February^  i! 


Mr.  W.  H.  Patterson,  M.R.I.A.,  in  the  Chair. 


Professor  Fitzgerald  read  a  Paper  on 

THE  NEW  BRIDGE  OVER   THE   FIRTH  OF  FORTH, 

Which  is  now  in  process  of  erection. 


Having  stated  briefly  the  greater  difficulties  which  presented 
themselves  in  the  task  of  bridging  the  Forth  than  even  those 
which  had  proved  so  seriously  formidable  in  the  Tay,  Prof. 
Fitzgerald  said  that  the  former  work  when  finished  will  be  the 
largest  girder  bridge  in  the  world,  there  being  no  other  bridge  of 
that  class  having  so  wide  a  span.  The  engineer,  Mr,  Baker,  had 
very  considerable  difficulties  in  selecting  a  design  that  could  be 
actually  carried  out.  The  great  difficulty  to  be  dealt  with  in 
constructing  bridges  of  long  span  is  the  weight  of  the  bridge 
itself.  By  means  of  steel,  though  not  steel  of  the  ordinary  kind, 
being  more  like  fine  wrought  iron,  that  primary  difficulty  was 
overcome.  In  large  bridges  the  weight  increases  faster  than 
the  strength,  and  the  advantage  of  steel  is  that  it  gives  greater 
strength  than  iron,  with  the  same  weight.  The  entire  length 
of  the  new  bridge  will  be  about  one  mile,  and  the  main  span 
1,700  feet.  The  Admiralty  required  that  the  bridge  should  be 
150  feet  above  the  water.  The  depth  of  the  water  itself  is 
150  feet.  The  foundations  rest  on  solid  rock  in  some  parts, 
and  in  others  in  a  peculiar  clay. 

The  lecturer  then  entered  into  a  detailed  description  of  the 


17 

character  of  the  foundations  and  the  process  by  which  they 
were  laid.  He  showed  that  every  test  to  provide  for  resistance 
to  wind  pressure  was  being  applied.  The  main  span  is  sup- 
ported by  two  huge  piers — one  at  Inchgarney  Island — each 
pier  being  composed  of  four  towers  as  large  as  four  ordinary 
martello  towers  rolled  into  one.  Having  described  the  plan 
followed  in  the  forming  of  the  piers  and  the  supports  carrying 
the  girders,  the  Professor,  in  order  to  illustrate  by  a  familiar 
example  the  extraordinary  dimensions  of  the  bridge,  supposed 
an  observer  standing  at  the  Methodist  College  looking  at  a 
bridge  extending  to  the  military  barracks  in  North  Queen 
Street,  the  rail-level  being  as  high  again  as  the  Albert  Memorial. 
He  also  applied  a  map  of  the  Boyne  Viaduct  to  the  map  of  the 
Forth  Bridge,  and  it  was  seen  that  the  entire  of  the  former 
structure  could  be  easily  accommodated  within  the  main  span 
of  the  latter.  The  cost  of  the  new  bridge  will  be  about 
;^ 1, 600, 000,  and  the  work  will  probably  be  completed  at  the 
end  of  two  years  from  the  present  time. 


18 


2,rci  February  ^  1886. 


The  President,  Mr.  W.  H.  Patterson,  M.R.I.A.,  in  the  Chair. 


William  Swanston,  Esq.,  F.G.S.,  read  a  Paper  upon  an 
IMPORTANT  LOCAL  GEOLOGICAL  DISCOVERY. 


Mr.  Swanston  stated   that  the  notes  he  had  been  requested 
to  bring  forward   referred   to   a   fossil    that   had   been   found 
some   time   since   in   the   white   limestone,    or   chalk,   quarry 
at   Whitewell,   and    which   had   now   been    presented   to   the 
Museum  by  the  proprietor  (Mr.  Turner,  of  Mountain  Bush). 
The  fossil  was  portion  of  the  vertebral  column  of  a  huge  reptile, 
known  to  the  geologists  as  Mosasatirus  gracilis,  of  Owen,  and 
whose  nearest  living  representative  is  the  crocodile.    Mosasaiirus 
gracilis  belonged  to  a  family  of  giants,  remains  of  specimens 
having   been    found   that    must   have   measured  fully  25  feet 
in  length  ;  while  its  better  known  relative,  Mosasaiirus  princeps^ 
attained  the  extraordinary  length  of  75  feet.     The  first  record 
of  our   species   as   British    was    made  by  Dr.  Mantell,  in  his 
"Geology   of  the  South-East   of  England."     Detached   frag- 
ments have  from  time  to  time  since  been  found   in   English 
and  Continental  strata,    and    from    these    it   has   been    pretty 
clearly  made  out  that  the  creature's  head  formed  about  one- 
sixth  of  its  entire  length,  in  which  respect  it  resembled   the 
crocodile,  but  in  the  shortness  of  its  tail  and  other  respects  it 
was^altogether  unlike  it.     From  the  examination  of  its  remains 
it  can   be   pretty  safely  conjectured   that  it  was  aquatic  and 
possibly  marine'jn  its  habits.     Its  feet  were  paddle-like  in  form 
— more  adapted  for  swimming  than  for  progression  on  land  ; 


19 

its  vertebral  column,  too,  from  its  apparently  extreme  flexibility, 
would  tend  to  confirm  this  view.  The  specimen  on  the  table 
was  extremely  interesting,  as  being — so  far  as  can  be  traced — the 
first  fragment  from  Irish  strata,  and  from  the  additional  reason 
that  it  tends  to  confirm  the  view  long  since  advanced  that  our 
chalk  may  be  considered  as  perhaps  the  highest  member  of  the 
cretaceous  system  in  the  British  Islands,  and  most  nearly 
correlated  with  the  chalk  of  Maestricht,  in  Belgium,  in 
which  this  species  attained  its  maximum  of  development,  and 
which  is  considered  the  highest  known  zone  of  the  cretaceous 
system. 


A   HUMAN   SKULL   FOUND   AT  TILLYSBURN. 

Mr.  Robert  M.  Young,  B.A.,  read  a  communication  from  Mr.  J. 
Anderson,  J.P.,  Holywood,  regarding  a  human  skull  which  had 
been  found  on  the  17th  January  by  Captain  M'Cance,  J.P., 
about  eighteen  inches  below  the  surface  of  the  slob,  some  ten 
or  twelve  yards  inside  the  railway  embankment,  and  immediately 
at  the  foot  of  Captain  M'Cance's  windmill. 

Dr.  Malcomson,  taking  the  skull  in  hand,  stated  to  the 
meeting  that  the  skull  was  apparently  that  of  a  man  sixty  years 
of  age,  and  had  been  dead  for  probably  fifty  years.  Although 
it  had  been  suggested  that  some  violence  was  used  to  the  person 
who  owned  the  skull,  he  did  not  think  there  was  any  mark  to 
justify  that  opinion. 


20 


2nd  March  j886. 


Mr.  W.  Swanston,  F.R.G.S.,  in  the  Chair. 


Mr.  John  Brown  read  a  Paper  on 

AN   EXPERIMENTAL   FISHING   TRIP   OFF  THE 
NORTH  AND  EAST  COASTS  OF  IRELAND. 


Mr.  Brown  said  that  in  1882  he  purchased  a  small  steam  vessel 
for  the  purpose  of  trawling  off  the  Irish  coasts.  He  had  tried 
most  of  the  trawling  grounds  along  the  coast  from  St.  John's 
Point  to  Innishowen  Head,  but  without  sufficient  success  on 
the  whole  to  warrant  a  continuation  of  the  enterprise.  Lough 
Foyle  and  the  banks  outside  it  were  perhaps  the  best  places  he 
had  tried.  He  referred  to  the  decadence  of  fishing  in  Belfast 
Lough,  and  believed  it  was  due  to  the  trawling  on  the  upper 
flats  and  banks  in  the  lough,  by  which  large  quantities  of  small 
fish  were  taken,  which  brought  only  a  nominal  price,  and  such 
fish  were  prevented  from  attaining  maturity  in  the  lower  portion 
of  the  lough.  He  suggested  that  one  or  other  of  the  scientific 
societies  of  Belfast  should  take  this  matter  up,  obtain  evidence 
from  the  fishermen,  and,  if  desirable,  take  steps  to  have  the 
upper  part  of  the  lough  closed  to  trawlers. 

The  paper  was  suitably  illustrated  with  nets  and  other  fishing 
tackle  suspended  in  the  room. 


21 


2nd  March ^  1886. 


Mr.  W.  Swanston.  F.R.G.S.,  in  the  Chair. 


Mr.  Seaton  F.  Mulligan  read  a  Paper  on 

THE  ANCIENT   CIVILISATION    OF   PERU,    INCLUD- 
ING ITS  TEXTILE  INDUSTRIES. 


Mr.  Mulligan  illustrated  his  lecture  with  a  very  interesting 
and  valuable  collection  of  woven  and  dyed  fabric  patterns  and 
personal  ornaments.  This  collection  of  Peruvian  antiquities 
was  brought  to  Ireland  by  a  friend  of  the  lecturer,  whose 
duties  as  an  engineer  in  Peru  gave  him  opportunities  to  gratify 
his  archaeological  taste,  and  in  so  doing  to  make  excavations  in 
the  ancient  Huacas  of  the  people  who  inhabited  that  country 
in  ante-Columbian  times.  Having  given  a  sketch  of  the 
civilisation  of  the  ancient  Peruvians,  the  lecturer  said  he 
had  been  requested  to  compare  our  modern  productions  with 
the  ancient  fabrics  of  Peru.  There  are  some  lessons  to  be 
learned  from  those  ancient  fabrics,  and  there  are  lessons  to 
be  learned  from  our  foreign  competitors  in  the  same  field. 
The  Ulster  manufacturers  have  not  yet  got  the  linen  trade  of 
the  world  entirely  to  themselves,  and  it  would  be  well  to  know 
what  their  opponents  are  doing.  The  ancient  cloths  seem  to 
have  been  finished  in  the  most  perfect  manner.  How  different 
from  the  fustian  of  the  present  day.  A  very  few  years  ago 
Manchester   goods   were  almost  unsaleable  in   the  India  and 


22 


China  markets,  for  the  natives  found  their  home-made  calicoes 
much  better,  and  the  outcry  that  was  raised  at  the  time  taught 
the  Manchester  manufacturers  that  honesty  was  the  best  policy. 
During  the  American  war  the  linen  trade  in  Belfast  was  parti- 
cularly good.  Cotton  could  not  be  procured,  and  linen  had  to 
make  up  the  deficiency.  To  supply  the  place  of  domestic  calico 
a  kind  of  half  bleached  linen  was  introduced.  No  doubt,  so  far 
as  home  consumption  was  concerned,  a  splendid  opportunity 
was  lost  of  placing  the  linen  trade  on  a  more  extended  basis. 
When  cotton  again  became  plentiful  it  was  bought  in  preference 
to  linen.  It  seemed  to  him  that  we  do  not  sufficiently  introduce 
art  in  connection  with  our  local  linen  manufacture,  the  bulk  of 
our  production  being  plain  goods.  This  did  very  well  so  long 
as  a  good  demand  existed  for  white  goods,  but  unfortunately 
the  white  linen  trade  has  been  a  decreasing  one.  As  far  as  his 
experience  goes,  in  the  home  trade  there  is  not  one  piece  of 
white  linen  sold  in  Ireland  for  the  dozen  pieces  sold  twenty  five 
or  thirty  years  ago.  People  now  order  their  shirts  from  the 
manufacturers,  and  the  latter  have  introduced  a  variety  of  other 
fabrics  which  have  taken  the  place  of  linen.  The  peasantry  of 
Connaught,  who  are  very  conservative  in  the  matter  of  cloth- 
ing, are  the  only  people  in  the  country  who  to  any  extent  wear 
white  shirts.  He  had  brought  with  him  a  variety  of  samples 
of  linen  goods,  and  goods  made  of  linen  and  cotton,  in  which  a 
considerable  amount  of  skill  and  artistic  taste  was  displayed. 
These  goods  are  made  in  Germany,  and  are  sold  by  the 
agents  of  German  houses  both  in  England  and  Ireland.  The 
Germans  are  now  pushing  the  English  manufacturers  very 
close  in  many  things.  There  is  in  this  country  a  favourable 
opening  for  dress  fabrics  in  linen,  and  mixtures  of  linen  and 
cotton.  For  some  time  past  the  Irish  people  have  given  the 
preference  to  home  made  goods  of  a  suitable  kind.  There  has 
not  been  much  done  in  Belfast  in  this  direction  yet,  and  he 
thought  there  would  be  a  considerable  outlet  if  some  good 
designs  were  introduced. 


*3 

THE  OLD  GATE  AT  CARRICKFERGUS. 

On  the  motion  of  Mr  Gray,  seconded  by  Mr.  Mulholland,  it 
was  resolved  that  this  Society  co-operate  with  the  Naturalists' 
Field  Club  in  opposing  the  intended  action  of  the  Grand 
Jury  to  remove  the  old  gate  at  Carrickfergus. 


THE  OLD  CROSS  AT  DROMORE. 

The  Chairman  intimated  that  he  had  received  from  one  of  the 
Dromore  Town  Commissioners  a  letter  stating  that  the  old  cross 
of  that  town  would  be  preserved  in  the  changes  that  were  about 
to  be  made,  and  that  the  wishes  of  the  Naturalists'  Field  Club 
in  the  matter  were  being  carried  out. 


24 

dih  April,  1886. 


The  President,  Mr.  W.  H.  Patterson,  M.R.I.A.,  in  the  Chair. 


Mr.  Joseph  John  Murphy,  read  a  Paper  on 
WET  AND  DRY  WEATHER. 


The  treatment  of  the  subject  was  chiefly  based  on  some  pub- 
lications by  Dr.  Hann,  printed  in  the  journal  of  the  Austrian 
Meteorological  Society. 

The  motive  power  of  all  winds  ultimately  consists  in  the  heat 
of  the  sun.  When  one  region  becomes  warmer  than  another, 
as,  for  instance,  land  heats  more  rapidly  under  the  sun  than 
water,  or  bare  ground  than  ground  covered  with  vegetation, 
the  air  flows  upward  over  the  heated  space,  and  a  wind  is  formed 
by  the  inflow  of  air  along  the  surface  of  the  earth  ;  just  as  the 
fire  in  a  room  draws  the  air  towards  it  in  a  draft  along  the 
floor.  The  trade  winds  consist  of  such  a  draft  towards  the 
warm  regions  of  the  equator. 

Storms,  as  distinguished  from  mere  winds,  are  due  to  the 
condensation  of  watery  vapour  in  ascending  currents  of  air. 
When  air  flows  upward  the  pressure  on  it  from  the  air  above  is 
diminished,  because  of  the  less  thickness  of  the  aerial  strata 
above  it ;  the  diminution  of  pressure  causes  expansion,  and  the 
expansion  produces  cold,  whereby  the  heat  that  was  latent  in  the 
vapour  is  liberated  : — and  though  when  vapour  is  condensed 
into  water  the  volume  of  the  water  is  destroyed,  yet  this  is  com- 
pensated for  four  or  five  times  over  by  the  liberated  heat  expand- 
ing the  air  ;  which  expansion  increases  the  force  of  the  ascending 
current,  and  the  consequent  indraft  of  wind  at  its  base.  The 
motive  power  of  storms  is  thus  steam  power.  But  storms  would 
not  be  produced  but  for  another  agency,  namely,  the  earth's 
rotation  ;  which,  though  it  has  no  power  whatever  to  set  a  wind 
in  motion,  has  a  most  important  modifying  influence  on  winds, 
as  is  to  be  explained  further  on. 


*5 

The  pressure  of  the  atmosphere  on  the  earth  is  equal  to  that 
of  an  ocean  of  quicksilver  thirty  inches  deep,  and  it  is  a  fact 
which  from  its  familiarity  does  not  excite  the  wonder  due  to  it, 
that  this  atmospheric  ocean  is  liable  to  be  disturbed  by  waves, 
which,  as  the  barometer  shows,  sometimes  attain  to  a  height  of 
at  least  one  fifteenth  of  its  depth.  Regions  of  high  barometer 
are  generally  those  of  fine  weather,  and  regions  of  low  barometer 
those  of  wet  weather,  because  in  the  latter  ascending  currents 
of  air  are  formed,  which  are  due  to  the  pressure  of  the  air  in 
the  neighbouring  regions  of  high  barometer.  These  as  they 
ascend  become  cooled,  and  condense  the  watery  vapour  which 
they  contain  into  clouds  and  rain.  At  the  equator,  where  the 
rain-fall  is  very  great,  the  fluctuations  of  the  barometer  are  very 
slight,  and  it  would  be  the  same  in  all  parts  of  the  world  were 
it  not  for  the  deflecting  effect  of  the  earth's  rotation.  The 
simplest  instance  of  this  effect  is  that,  as  theory  and  observation 
alike  show,  in  the  northern  hemisphere  a  cannon  ball  fired  at  a 
sufficiently  distant  mark  strikes  a  point  a  little  to  the  right  of 
the  mark.  In  the  southern  hemisphere  the  corresponding  de- 
flection is  to  the  left  ;  and  at  the  equator,  where  the  earth  has 
no  rotation  in  relation  to  an  axis  vertical  to  the  horizon,  there 
is  no  deflection.  The  deflection  is  caused  by  the  earth  moving 
in  its  rotation  under  the  cannon  ball  ;  the  cannon  is  in  fact  fired 
at  a  moving  mark  ; — and  in  the  same  way,  the  earth  rotating  under 
a  current  of  wind  deflects  the  wind  in  the  northern  hemisphere 
to  the  right  ;  so  that  every  north  wind  tends  to  become  an  east 
wind,  and  every  south  wind  tends  to  become  a  west  wind. 
In  the  southern  hemisphere,  this  effect  is  of  course  reversed. 
This  effect  of  the  earth's  rotation  on  the  winds  was  first  pointed 
out  by  Professor  Dove,  of  Berlin,  forty  or  fifty  years  ago,  and 
is  called  Dove's  Law  ;  but  Mr.  Murphy  said  he  believed  Dr. 
Hann  had  been  the  first  to  see  the  full  importance  of  this  law. 
Theory  and  observation  alike  show  that  the  fluctuations  of  the 
barometer  increase  as  the  distance  from  the  equator  increases. 
They  are  almost  nothing  at  the  equator.  At  a  latitude  of  65 
the  average  monthly  fluctuation  is  nearly  an  inch  and  a  half. 


26 

When  the  most  powerful  ascending  current,  and  consequent 
indraft,  are  set  up  at  the  equator,  no  storm  is  produced  ;  but 
when  the  same  occurs  far  enough  from  the  equator  to  enable 
the  earth's  rotation  to  have  effect,  every  current  of  air  as  it  flows 
in  towards  the  centre  is  deflected  to  the  right  (or,  in  the  southern 
hemisphere,  to  the  left),  and  thus  a  vortex,  or  cyclone,  is  formed, 
with  a  rotatory  velocity  which  may  be  very  much  greater  than 
the  original  velocity  of  indraft.  This  may  be  illustrated  by 
filling  a  wash-hand  basin  with  water,  removing  the  plug  at  the 
bottom,  and  then  giving  the  water  a  slight  rotatory  impulse 
with  the  hand,  when  the  water  will  begin  to  rotate  with  an 
impulse  very  much  greater  than  the  force  with  which  it  was  set 
in  motion.  The  mechanics  of  such  a  water  vortex,  or  whirlpool, 
closely  resemble  those  of  a  cyclone  or  revolving  storm  ; — the 
ascending  current  at  the  centre  of  the  storm  corresponds  to  the 
current  out  through  the  hole  in  the  bottom  of  the  water  basin. 
Although  the  earth's  rotation  in  relation  to  an  axis  vertical  to  the 
horizon  is  less  in  tropical  than  in  European  latitudes,  yet  the 
storms  of  the  tropics  are  more  violent,  in  consequence  of  the 
greater  steam  power  of  the  atmosphere,  due  to  the  hotter 
climate.  On  the  equator,  however,  cyclones  are  not  found, 
because  there  the  earth's  rotation  does  not  deflect  the  wind, 
either  to  right  or  to  left. 

Dr.  Hann  has  made  a  mathematical  examination  of  the 
observed  data  of  some  European  storms,  which  shows  that  the 
barometric  gradient — that  is  to  say  the  ratio  of  the  difference 
between  the  height  of  the  barometer  at  different  places  to  the 
distances  between  those  places — is  greater  than  is  due  to  the 
centrifugal  force  generated  by  the  rotation  of  the  storm,  and  he 
infers  that  the  excess  is  due  to  the  deflecting  force  of  the  earth's 
rotation. 

Mr.  Murphy  concluded  by  expressing  the  opinion  that  the 
origin  of  those  fluctuations  of  the  barometer,  or  barometric 
waves,  which  accompany  and  bring  storms,  is  to  be  found  in 
the  inter-action  of  currents  of  air  flowing  side  by  side  in  opposite 
directions,  modified  by  the  earth's  rotation. 


27 


6th  April,  1886. 


The  President,  Mr.  W.  H.  Patterson,  M.R.I.A.,  in  the  Chair. 


Mr.  Lloyd  Patterson,  J. P.,  F.L.S.,  read  a  Paper  on 
A  RECENT  VISIT  TO  TORY  ISLAND. 


Some  merchants  and  shipowners  of  Derry,  prominent  among 
whom  was  Mr.  James  M'Neil,  of  that  city,  conceived  the  idea 
that  it  would  be  a  very  important  matter,  not  only  for  the 
shipping  interest,  but  also  for  the  country  at  large,  that  a 
telegraph  and  signal  station,  connected  by  sub-marine  cable 
with  the  telegraph  system  of  the  United  Kingdom,  should  be 
established  at  Tory  Island  to  report  passing  vessels,  being  able 
to  communicate  with  the  mainland  in  case  of  any  shipping 
disaster  or  peril,  and  for  such  and  kindred  purposes  generally. 
A  meteorological  station  was  also  spoken  of.  Now,  as  to  the 
value  of  the  signal  station  there  can  hardly  be  two  opinions. 
Situated,  as  the  island  is,  off  the  north-west  coast  of  Donegal, 
it  lies  in  the  track  of  all  vessels  going  north  about  from  any 
port  in  the  United  Kingdom  to  any  port  in  America.  It  is  the 
last  land  they  see  on  their  outward  voyages,  and  often  the  first 
land  they  make  on  their  homeward  runs.  A  number  of  wrecks 
formerly  took  place  on  the  island,  but  these  have  greatly 
diminished  since  the  erection  there,  in  1832,  of  what  was  then 
considered  a  very  fine  lighthouse.  This  lighthouse,  one  of  the 
usual  tower  shape,  and  of  enormous  strength,  is  pretty  lofty  ; 
its  lantern,  a  powerful  one,  stands  122  feet  above  the  high-water 
level  of  the  sea,  and  is  visible  at   a  distance  of  seventeen    or 


28 

eighteen  miles  in  fair  weather.     The  Commissioners  of  Irish 
Lights  have  been  improving  and  re-erecting   lighthouses   at 
various  important  points  round  the  coasts,  and  Tory  is  now 
having  their  attention.     But  I  am  unable  to  say  whether  or  not 
this  had  been  decided  on  prior  to  the  loss  of  the  gunboat  Wasp 
on  the  island  on  the  22nd  September,  1884.     This  melancholy 
event,   by  which  no   fewer  than   52  persons  lost   their   lives, 
directed  much  attention  to  this  lonely  island,  and  invested  it 
with  a  melancholy  interest  at  the  time  of  our  visit.     Had  a 
powerful  siren,  such  as  has  lately  been  erected  on  Ailsa  Craig, 
been  then  in  existence  at  Tory  to  warn  off  vessels  in  thick 
weather  when  the  light  cannot  be  discerned,  the  loss  of  that 
vessel  and  so  many  of  her  gallant  crew  might  have  been  averted. 
Well,  it  was  to  awaken  more  general  interest  in  the  establish- 
ment of  such  a  signal  station,  the  utility  of  which,  both  from 
a   practical   and   humane    point   of   view,   I  think,   had  been 
demonstrated,  that  Mr.  M'Neil  organised  the  trip  to  the  island, 
in  which  it  was  my  good  fortune  (as  representing,  at  the  request 
of  its  President,  my  friend  ]\Ir.  Megaw,  the  Belfast  Chamber  of 
Commerce)  to  take  part.     After  glancing  briefly  at  the  early 
history  of  the  island,  Mr.  Patterson  went  on  to  give  an  account 
of  his  personal  experiences  of  the  place,  as  related  by  him 
shortly  after  the  visit  in  the  columns  of  the  Northern    Whig. 
Referring    to    the   vicissitudes    which   the   inhabitants  of  the 
island  have  suffered  from  time  to  time,  he  said  in  unfavourable 
seasons  it  is  next  to  impossible  for  the  small  amount  of  arable 
land  to  produce  food  enough  for  even  a  small  population.     In 
recent  years  more  than  once  the  people  were  reduced  to  the 
verge   of  starvation.     On   one   occasion   a   severe   gale  swept 
immense  waves  over  the  island,  and  carried  the  greater  portion 
of  the  crop  of  corn,  which  had  been  partially  cut,  but  not  housed, 
into    the   sea,    washed    the   potatoes   out  of  the  ground,   and 
rendered  the  fresh  water  undrinkable  ;  and  on  other  occasions 
a  more  or  less  partial  failure  of  the  crops  left  the  poor  people 
partially  dependent  on  the  outside  world  for  the  supplies  which 
nature  denied  them  at  home. 


29 

Kelp  burning  was  formerly  carried  on  on  the  island  to  a 
considerable  extent.  This  product  of  the  sea,  fresh  out  of  the 
strong,  deep  waters  of  the  North  Atlantic,  was  rich  in  iodine, 
and  found  a  ready  market  at  remunerative  prices  in  the  great 
chemical  works  at  Glasgow,  to  which  port  it  was  conveyed  by 
the  Sligo  steamer  calling  off  the  island.  But  the  demand  for 
kelp  has  fallen  off,  and  prices  have  become  so  low  that  it  is  no 
longer  produced,  and  the  island  can  export  little  now  except 
lobsters,  as  it  is  difficult  to  get  a  quick  market  for  perishable 
fresh  fish,  such  as  mackerel. 

There  are  about  fifty  houses  or  families  and  about  350  or  360 
inhabitants  on  the  island.  In  1841  the  population  was  returned 
at  391  males  and  200  females,  and  at  that  time  there  were 
eighty  inhabited  houses.  Speaking  of  the  social  condition  of 
the  people,  he  said — There  is  not  a  policeman  in  the  place,  and 
there  seems  to  be  little  or  no  social  distinction  as  among  the 
people  themselves.  Till  lately  there  was  a  "  King "  of  Tory, 
so  called  because  the  other  islanders  acknowledged  his  authority 
and  bowed  to  his  decisions  in  the  settlement  of  disputes  ;  but 
since  the  decease,  now  some  years  ago,  of  the  last  monarch,  the 
authority  in  such  matters  seems  to  have  passed  into  the  hands 
of  the  resident  Catholic  curate,  the  island  being  in  the  parish  of 
Cloughnahuly,  on  the  mainland  of  Donegal.  The  parish  priest 
here.  Rev.  Mr.  M'Fadden,  has  two  curates,  each  of  whom,  it  is 
said,  takes  about  a  six  months'  turn  on  the  island  and  then  on 
the  mainland. 

The  people  pay  no  taxes.  A  few  years  ago  the  grand  jury  of 
Donegal  proposed  to  levy  county  cess  on  the  island — a  gross 
injustice,  as  the  people  make,  practically,  no  use  whatever  of 
the  roads  and  bridges  of  the  mainland,  and  they  have  none  of 
their  own  to  keep  in  repair.  This  unreasonable  demand  was 
not  persisted  in.  The  rent  question  is  different.  The  rental 
of  the  island,  including  one  penny  per  annum  for  the  gracing 
of  each  sheep,  used  to  be  about  ^240  a  year.  When  good 
prices  were  no  longer  obtainable  for  kelp  the  people  were 
unable  to  pay  their  former  rents,   and   made,   through  their 


30 

clergyman,  an  offer  of  ^loo  a  year  to  the  present  proprietor  of 
the  island,  the  Rev.  B.  St.  John  Joule.  This  offer  the  agent 
declined  ;  and  since  then,  five  or  six  years  ago,  the  people  have 
paid  no  rent  at  all,  and  do  not  apparently  expect  to  have  to  pay 
any  more.  T  have  a  copy  of  some  very  acrimonious  cor- 
respondence that  passed  between  the  landlord  and  others  on 
this  subject.  The  matter  seems  to  have  ended — at  least  for  the 
present — in  the  landlord's  rights  being  entirely  set  aside. 

Before  concluding,  let  me  take  a  brief  glance  at  the  island. 
Its  surface,  including  three  small  lakes,  two  of  them  brackish, 
comprises  about  1,200  acres,  of  which  perhaps  less  than  one-sixth 
may  be  under  cultivation.  Of  wild  quadrupeds  there  are  only 
two — the  rabbit  and  the  common  mouse — found.  There  are 
no  reptiles — not  even  a  frog  ;  and  except  the  sea  fowl  in  the 
breeding  season,  when  they  are  numerous,  not  many  birds,  and 
those  almost  exclusively  ground  or  cliff  breeding  birds,  as  there 
is  not  a  tree  and  hardly  a  bush  on  the  island  for  the  arboreal 
species.  I  saw  some  wheatears,  buntings,  sparrows,  and  pipits, 
grey  crows,  and  starlings — the  two  latter  probably  visitors  from 
the  mainland.  The  storm  petrel  still  breeds  there  ;  but,  from 
what  I  could  gather,  not  in  the  same  numbers  as  they  were 
found  by  Mr.  Hyndman  and  his  companions  in  1845.  The 
person  I  was  speaking  to  about  them  knew  the  birds  quite  well, 
and  called  them  "  Mother  Carey's  Chickens."  There  are  a 
good  many  poultry  and  domestic  animals  on  the  island;  among 
these  some  small  sized  horses,  which  are  used  sometimes  with 
panniers,  one  suspended  on  each  side,  or  sometimes  in  carts 
without  wheels,  "  slipe"  carts  as  they  are  called.  The  shafts  of 
these  carts  are  lengthened  backwards,  and  drag  along  the 
ground.  Mr.  Patterson  concluded  a  highly  interesting  paper 
by  relating  a  humorous  story  by  the  Rev.  John  Brown  con- 
cerning the  introduction  of  the  horse  into  Tory. 

A  number  of  photographs,  taken  by  Mr.  Stelfox  during  the 
visit,  were  exhibited. 


Officers  and  Cowicil  of  Management  for  1 88^-6. 

W.  n.  PATTERSON,  Esq.,  M.R.I.A. 
'^icc-'g'rcstbenfs : 

EGBERT  Macadam,  Esq.  I  Prof.  E.  A.  LETTS,  Ph.D. 

THOMAS  WORKMAN,  Esq  ,  J.P.    i  JOSEPH  WRIGHT,  Esq.,  F.G.S. 

"treasurer : 

JOHN  BROWN,  Esq., 

^librarian : 
THOMAS  WORKMAN,  Esq.,  J.P. 

§ccref  aru : 
ROBERT  M.  YOUNG,  Esq.,  B.A., 

gouncif : 
PROFESSOR  E.  A.  LETTS,  Pn.  D. 
PROFESSOR  R.  0.  CUNNINGHAM,  M.D. 
W.  H.  PATTERSON,  Esq.,  M.R.I.A. 
ROBERT  Macadam,  Esq. 
PROFESSOR  J.  0.  EVERETT,  F.R.S. 
R.  L.  PATTERSON,  Esq.,  J.P.,  F.L.S. 
THOMAS  WORKMAN,  Esq.,  J.P. 
ROBERT  YOUNG,  Esq.,  C.E. 
JOSEPH  WRIGHT,  Esq.,  F.G.S. 
JOHN  BROWN,  Esq. 
J.  H.  GREENIIILL,  Esq.,  Mcs.  Bac. 
JOSEPH  JOHN  MURPHY,  Esq. 
WILLIAM  SWANSTON,  Esq.,  F.G.S. 
JAMES  WILSON,  Esq.,  M.E. 
R.  M.  YOUNG,  Esq.,  B.A. 


32 


si3:.A.i?,Eia:oLiDE:E?,s. 

[*  Denotes  holders  of  three  or  moi-e  Shares'] . 

*Alexander,  James,  J.P.  (Representatives  of),  Holywood. 
Allen,  R.  H.,  Mus.  Bac,  College  Green,  Belfast. 

Anderson,  John,  J. P.,  F.G.S.,  Hillbrook,  Holywood. 
Andrews,  Elizabeth,  College  Gardens,  Belfast. 

Andrews,  George,  Ardoyne,  do. 

Andrews,  Samuel,  J.P.,  Seaview,  do. 

Archer,  Henry,  Orlands,  Carrickfergus. 

Barbour,  James,  Ardville,  Marino. 

*Batt,  Thomas  G.  (Representatives  of),  Stranmillis,  Belfast. 

Bland,  Robert  H.,  Woodbank,  Whiteabbey. 

Bottomley,  Henry  H.,  Hughenden,  Fortwilliam  Park,  Belfast. 

*Bottomley,  William,  J.P.,  do. 

Boyd,  William,  Great  Victoria  Street,  do. 

Boyd,  William  Sinclair,  Ravenscroft,  Bloomfield,  do. 

Brett,  Charles  H.,  Gretton  Villa  South,  Malone  Road,  do. 

Bristow,  James  R.,  The  Park,  Dunmurry. 

Brown,  John  Shaw,  J.P.,  Edenderry  House,  Belfast. 

Brown,  John,  Jun.,  Bedford  Street,  do. 

Brown,  William  K.,  Rushmere,  do. 

Burden,  Henry,  M.D.,  Alfred  Street,  do. 

Burnett,  John  R.,  Martello  House,  Holywood. 

Calwell,  Alex.  M'D.,  College  Square  North,  Belfast. 

*Campbell,  Miss  Anna,  Howard  Street,  do. 

Campbell,  John,  Lennoxvale,  do. 

Carson,  John,  Church  Lane,  do. 

*Charley,  John  (Representatives  of),  Finaghey,  do. 

*Charters,  John  (Representatives  of),  do. 

Clarke,  Edward^H.,  Elmwood^House,  do. 
*Claremont,  Lord,  Ravensdale  Park,  Newry. 
Coates,  Victor,  J.P.,  Rathmore,  Dunmurry. 


33 

Connor,  Charles  C,  Nottinghill  House,  Belfast. 

Crawford,  William,  Calender  Street,  do. 

Cuming,  James,  M.A.,  M.D.,  Wellington  Place,  do. 

Cunningham,  Robt.  O.,  M.D.,  F.L.S.,  College  Gardens,  do. 

•Deramore,  Lord,  D.L.,  Belvoir  Park,  do. 

*Donegall,  Marquis  of. 

*Downshire,  Marquis  of,  Hillsborough  Castle. 

Drennan,  John  S.,  M.D.,  Prospect  Terrace,  Belfast. 

*Drummond,  Dr.  James  L.  (Representatives  of),  do. 

Duffin,  Charles,  J.P.,  Strandtown  Lodge,  do. 

Emmerson,  William,  Donegall  Quay,  do. 

Everett,  Joseph  D.,  M.A.,  D.C.L.,  F.R.S.,  Lennoxvale.  do. 

Ewart,  Lavens  M.,  J.P.,  Glenbank  House,  do. 
Ewart,  William,  J.P.,  M.P.,  Glenmachan  House,  Strandtown. 
Ewart,  William  Ouartus,  Schomberg,  Strandtown. 

Pagan,  John,  M.D.,  F.R.C.S.I.,  Glengall  Place,  Belfast. 

*Fenton,  Samuel  G.,  J.P.,  Windsor,  do. 

Ferguson,  Henry,  M.D.,  Fisherwick  Place,  do. 

Finlay,  William  Laird,  Arlington,  Windsor,  do. 

Finlay,  William  Laird,  Jun.  (Representatives  of),  do. 

Fitzgerald,  Professor  Maurice,  Botanic  Avenue,  do. 
Forsythe,  Robert  H.,  Holywood. 

*Getty,  Edmund  (Representatives  of),  Belfast. 
Girdwood,  H.  Mercer,  Broughton  Maxwell,  Manchester. 

Gordon,  Alexander,  M.D.,  Fitzroy  Avenue,  Belfast. 
Gordon,  Robert  W.,  J.P.  Summerfield,  Dundonald. 
*Grainger,  Rev.  Canon,  D.D.,  M.R.LA.,  Broughshanc,  Bally- 

mena. 

Gray,  William,  M.R.LA.,  Mountcharles,  Belfast. 

Greenhill,  John  H.,  Mus.  Bac,  Richmond  Terrace,  do. 
Greer,  Thomas,  J. P.,  Seapark,  Carrickfergus. 

♦Hamilton,  Hill.  J.P.  (Representatives  of),  Mountvernon,  Belfast. 

Hamilton,  Sir  James,  J.P.  (Representatives  of),  do. 


34 

Harland,  Sir  E.  J.,  Bart.,  J.P.,  Ormiston,  Strandtown,  Belfast. 

Heburn,  William,  Clonard  Mill,  do. 

Henderson,  Miss  Anna  S.,  Windsor  Terrace,  do. 
Henderson,  James,  A.M.,  Norwood  Tower,  Strandtown,     do. 

Henderson,  Robert,  High  Street,  do. 
*Henry,  Alexander,  Manchester. 
Herdman,  John,  J.P.,  Carricklee  House,  Strabane. 

*Herdman,  John  (Representatives  of),  Belfast. 

Heyn,  James,  A.M.,  Ulster  Chambers,  do. 

Hind,  James  (Representatives  of),  do. 

Hind,  John,  J.P.,  do. 

Hind,  John,  Jun.,  College  Street  South,  do. 
Hodges,  John  F.,  M.D.,  F.C.S.,  J.P.,  Derryvolgie  Avenue,   do. 

Hogg,  John,  Academy  Street,  do. 
Holford,  Thomas  &  Arthur,  Cern  Abbas,  Dorsetshire. 

♦Houston,  John  Blakiston,  J.P.,  D.L.,  Orangefield,  Belfast. 

Hyndman,  Hugh,  LL.D.,  Livingstone  Terrace,  do. 

Inglis,  James,  Abbeyville,  Whiteabbey. 

Jackson,  Thomas,  C.E.,  Altona,  Strandtown,  Belfast. 

JaflFe,  John,  J.P.,  Edenvale,  Strandtown,  do. 

JaflFe,  Otto,  Canadian  Villas,  Strandtown,  do. 
*Johnson,  Sir  William  G.,  J. P.,  D.L.,  College  Square  North,  do. 
Johnston,  Samuel  A.,  Dalriada,  Whiteabbey. 


Keegan,  John  J.,  Brooklyn,  Holywood. 
Kennedy,  James,  Richmond  Lodge, 
Kennedy,  William,  College  Park  East, 
*Kinghan,  Rev.  John,  Altona,  Windsor, 


Belfast. 
do. 
do. 


Lanyon,  Sir  Charles,  J.P.,  The  Abbey,  Whiteabbey. 
Lemon,  Archibald  Dunlop,  J.P.,  Edgecumbe,  Belfast. 

Lepper,  F.R.,  Ulster  Bank,  do. 

Letts,  Professor  E.  A.,  Ph.D., F.C.S.,Viewmount,  Windsor,  do. 
Lytle,  David  B.,  University  Square,  do, 


35 

*Macrory,  A.J.  (Representatives  of),  Belfast. 

Malcolm,  Bowman,  Richmond  Crescent,  do. 

Meharg,  James,  Ardlussa,  do. 

*Mitchell,  George  T.  (Representatives  of),  do. 

Mitchell,  W.  C,  J.P.,  Ardilea,  do. 

Montgomery,  Thomas,  J.P.,  Ballydrain  House,  do. 

Moore,  James,  J. P.  (Representatives  of),  Craigavad. 

Moore,  James,  College  Gardens,  Belfast. 

*Mulholland,  Andrew,  J. P.  (Representatives  of),  do. 

Mulholland,  John,  J.P.,  D.L.,  Ballywalter  Park. 

Mullan,  William,  Lindisfarne,  Marlborough  Park,  Belfast. 

Murney,  Henry,  M.D.,  J.P.,  Donegall  Square  South,  do. 

*Murphy,  Isaac  James,  Armagh. 

*Murphy,  Joseph  John,  Osborne  Park,  Belfast. 

Murray,  Robert  Wallace,  J. P.,  Fortwilliam  Park,  do. 

Musgrave,  Edgar,  Drumglass,  Malone,  do. 

*Musgrave,  Henry,  Drumglass,  Malone,  do. 

Musgrave,  James,  J.P.,  Drumglass,  Malone,  do. 

MacAdam,  Robert,  College  Square  East,  do. 

*M'Calmont,  Robert,  London. 

*M'Cammon,  Thomas,  Dublin. 

M'Cance,  Finlay,  J. P.,  Suffolk,  Dunmurry, 

*M'Cance,  J.  W.  S.  (Representatives  of),  Suffolk,  Dunmurry. 

M'Clure,  Sir  Thomas,  Bart.,  J.P.,  V.L.,  Belmont,  Belfast. 

*M'Cracken,  Francis  (Representatives  of),  Donegall  Square,  do. 

M'Gee,  James,  High  Street,  do. 

M'Gee,  Samuel  Mackey,  Clifton  Park  Avenue,  do. 

*MacIlwaine,  Mrs,  Jane  (Representatives  of),  Ulsterville,   do. 

*MacIlwaine,  John  H.,  Brandon  Villa,  Strandtown,  do. 

MacLaine,  Alexander,  J.  P.,  Queen's  Elms,  do. 

M'Neill,  George  Martin,  Beechleigh,  Windsor,  do. 

Neill,  John  R.,  Roseville,  Windsor,  do. 

Patterson,  David  C,  Craigavad. 
Patterson,  Edward  Forbes,  Holywood. 


36 

Patterson,  Mrs.  M.  E.,  Ardmore  Terrace,  Holywood. 
Patterson,  Richard,  J.P.,  Kilmore,  Holywood. 
*Patterson,  Robert  Lloyd,  J.P.,  F.L.S.,  Croft  House,  Holywood. 
Patterson,    William   H.,    M.R.I.A.,    Garranard,    Strandtown, 

Belfast. 

Patterson,  William  R.,  College  Park  East,  Belfast. 

Pim,  Edward  W.,  Elmwood  Trrace,  do. 

*Pirrie,  John  M.,  M.D.  (Representatives  of),  do. 

Porter,  Drummond,  Botanic  Avenue,  do. 

Purdon,  Thomas  Henry,  M.D.,  Wellington  Place,  do. 
Purser,  Professor  John,  M.A.,  M.R.I.A.,  Queen's  College,  do. 

Rea,  John  Henry,  M.D.,  Great  Victoria  Street,  do. 

Riddel,  William,  J.P.,  Beechmount,  do. 

Ritchie,  William  B.,  M.D.,  J.P.,  The  Grove,  do. 

Robertson,  William,  J.P.,  Netherleigh,  Strandtown,  do. 

Robinson,  John,  St.  James'  Crescent,  do. 

Rowan,  John,  York  Street,  do. 

Shillington,  Thomas  Foulkes,  Castleton  Park,  do. 

Simms,  Felix  Booth,  Prospect  Terrace,  do. 

Sinclair,  Thomas,  M.A.,  J.P.,  Hopefield,  do. 

Smith,  John,  Castleton  Terrace,  do. 

Smith,  Travers,  Sandymount,  do. 
Smyth,  John,  Jun.,  M.A.,  C.E.,  Milltown,  Banbridge. 

Steen,  Robert,  Ph.D.,  Academical  Institution,  Belfast. 

SuflFern,  John,  Windsor,  do. 

Suffern,  William  (Representatives  of),  do* 

Swanston,  William,  F.G.S.,  Cliftonville  Avenue,  do. 

*Tennent,  Robert  (Representatives  oO,  Rushpark,  do. 
*Tennent,    Robert    James,    J. P.,    D.L.    (Representatives   of), 

Rushpark,  Belfast. 

Thomson,  Charles,  College  Gardens,  Belfast. 
*Thompson,  James,  J  P.,  Macedon,  Whiteabbey. 
*Thompson,  Nathaniel  (Representatives  of). 


57 

Thompson,  Robert,  J.P.  (Representatives  of,  Fortwilliam  Park, 

Belfast. 
*Thompson,  William  (Representatives  of),  Belfast. 

Torrens,  Mrs.  Sarah  H.,  Edenmore,  Whiteabbey. 
*Turnley,  John  (Representatives  of;,  Belfast. 


Valentine,  G.  F.,  The  Moat,  Strandtown, 
Valentine,  James  W.,  Cromwell  Terrace, 


do. 
do. 


Walkington,  D.  B.,  Thornhill,  Malone. 

Walkington,  Thomas  R.,  Laurel  Lodge,  Strandtown, 

Wallace,  James,  Ulster  Bank, 

Ward,  Francis  D,,  J.P.,  Clonaver,  Strandtown, 

Ward,  Isaac  W.,  Colin  View  Terrace, 

Wilson,  James,  Old  Forge,  Dunmurry. 

Wilson,  John  K.,  Marlborough  Park, 

*Wilson,  Robert  M.,  Dublin. 

Workman,  Charles,  M.D.,  Newton  Terrace,  Glasgow. 

Workman,  Francis,  College  Gardens, 

Workman,  John,  J.P.,  Windsor, 

Workman,  Rev.  Robert,  Glastry,  Kirkcubbin. 

Workman,  Rev.  Robert,  Newtownbreda, 

*Workman,  Thomas,  J.P.,  Craigdarragh, 

Workman,  William.  Nottinghill, 

Wright,  Joseph,  F.G.S.,  York  Street, 


Belfast, 
do. 
do. 
do. 

Belfast. 


Belfast. 
do. 

Belfast, 
do. 
do. 
do. 


Young,  Robert,  C.E.,  Rathvarna, 
*Young,  Robert  Magill,  B.A.,  Ardgreenan, 


Belfast. 
do. 


HONORARY   ASSOCIATES. 


Robinson,  Hugh,  Clive  Villas, 
Tate.    Professor    Ralph,    F.G.S. 
Australia. 


F.L.S. 


Belfast. 
Adelaide,     South 


3B 

ANNUAL   GUINEA   SUBSCRIBERS. 

Bruce,  James,  J. P.,  D.L.,  Thorndale  House,  Belfast. 

Carr,  James,  Rathowen,  Windsor,  do. 

Corry,  Sir  James  Porter,  Bart.,  J.P.,  M.P.,  Dunraven,  Windsor, 

Belfast. 
Craig,  James,  J.P.,  Craigavon,  Strandtown. 
Dunville,  Robert  G.,  J. P.,  D.L.,  Redburne,  Holywood. 
Glass,  James,  Carradarragh,  Windsor,  Belfast. 

Graham,  O.  B.,  J.P.,  Larchfield,  Lisburn. 

Lowentha],  J.,  Ashley  Avenue,  Belfast. 

Lynn,  William  H.,  C.E.,  R.H.A.,  Crumlin  Terrace,  do. 

Marsh,  John,  Glenlyon,  Holywood. 

Matier,  Henry,  J.P.,  Dunlambert,  Fortwilliam,  Belfast. 

Milligan,  Seaton  Forrest,  Royal  Terrace,  do. 

Mulholland,  J.  R.  T.,  J.P.,  Northumberland  Street,  do. 

Murray,  Robert,  Corporation  Street,  do. 

M'Auliffe,  George,  J.P.,  Southbush,  Greenisland. 
Oakman,  Nicholas,  Prospect  Terrace,  Belfast. 

Pim,  Joshua,  Slieve-na-Failthe,  Whiteabbey. 
Pring,  Richard  W.,  Firmount,  Fortwilliam  Park,  Belfast. 

Reade,  Robert  H.,  Wilmont,  Dunmurry. 
Redfern,  Professor  Peter,  M.D.,  F.R.C.S.L.,  Lower  Crescent, 

Belfast. 
Rogers,  John,  Windsor  Avenue,  Belfast. 

Ross,  William  A.,  The  Ivies,  Craigavad. 
Stannus,  A.  C,  Greenisland. 

Taylor,  Sir  David,  J.P.,  Bertha,  Windsor,  Belfast. 

Taylor,  John  Arnott,  M.A.,  Drum  House,  Dunmurry. 
Tate,  Alexander,  C.E.,  Longwood,  Whitehouse. 
Watt,  R.,  C.E.,  Victoria  Street,  Belfast. 

Webb,  Richard  T.,  Greenisland. 

Wolflf,  G.  W.,  The  Den,  Strandtown,  Belfast. 

Young,  Samuel,  Huntly  Villas,  Derryvolgie  Avenue,  do. 


39 


LIST  OF  BOOKS  RECEIVED  DURING  THE  YEAR. 


Adelaide. — Transactions,  Proceedings  and  Report  of  the  Royal 
Society  of  South  AustraHa,  1885.  The  Society. 

Berlin. — Verhandlungen  der  Gesellschaft  fiir  Erdkunde.  Vol. 
12,  nos.  4,  5,6,  7,  8,  9,  ID,  1885.  Vol.  13,  nos.  i,  2, 
3,  4,  1886.  The  Society. 

Bologna. — Rendiconto  delle  session!  delle,  R.  Accademia  della 
Scienze,  1884-85.  The  Society. 

Boston,  U.  S.  A. — Proceedings  of  the  Boston  Society  of  Natural 
History.     Vols.  22  and  23,  1884-85.  The  Society. 

Science  Observer.     Vol,  4,  47,  no.  11.  The  Editor. 

Bremen. — Abhandlungen  vom  Naturwissenchaftlichen  Vereine. 

Vol.  9,  part  2,  1885  ;  part  3,  1886.  The  Society. 

Breslau. — Zeitschrift  fiir  Entomologie,  (new  series),  part  10, 
1885.  The  Society. 

Brighton. — Inaugural  Addresses,  Brighton  and  Sussex  Natural 
History  Society,  18S4-85.  The  Society. 

Annual    Report   of  the  Brighton   and  Sussex  Natural 
History  Society,  1885.  The  Society. 

Brussels. — Bulletin  de  la  Societe  Royale  de  Botanique  de 
Belgique.     Vol.  24,  part  i,  1885.  The  Society. 

Comptes-Rendu  de  la  Societe  Entomologique,  3rd  series, 
nos.  57  to  72,  1885.  The  Society. 

Comptes-Rendu  de  la  Societe   Royale  de   Botanique  de 
Belgique.  Vol.  24,  part  i,  1885.  The  Society, 


40 

Brussels —  Continued. 

Annales  de  la  Societe  Malacologique  de  Belgique.  Vol. 
13,1878;  14,  1879;  15.  1880;  18,  1883;  19,  1884. 
Proces  Verbaux  des  Seances.     Vol.  14,  1885. 

The  Society. 

Buenos  Ayres. — Academia  Nacional  de  Ciencias,  Actas.  Vol. 
5,  part  2,  1884  ;  Boletin,  Vol.  8,  parts  2  and  3,   1885. 

The  Society. 

Calcutta. — Geological  Survey  of  India,  (Palaeontologica 
Indica),  series  4,  vol.  i  ;  series  10,  vol.  4  ;  series  10, 
vol.  3,  parts  7  and  8  ;  series  13,  part  4,  fas.  5  ;  series 
13,  vols.  I  and  5  ;  series  14,  vols,  i  and  3,  1885. 
Records  vol.  18,  parts  2,  3  and  4 ;  records  vol.  19,  parts 
I  and  2  ;  Memoirs,  vol.  21,  parts  3  and  4.     The  Survey. 

Cambridge,  U.  S.  A. — Bulletin  of  the  Museum  of  Comparative 
Zoology.  Vol.  II,  no.  ii,  1885  ;  vol.  12,  no.  I,  2,  3, 
4,  1886;  Annual  Report,  1884-85.  The  Society > 

Cardiff. — Report  and  Transactions  of  the  Naturalists'  Society. 
Vol.  16,  1884-85.  The  Society. 

Cordoba. — Boletin  de  la  Academia  Nacional  de  Ciencias.  Actas 
vol.  5,  part  1, 1884  ;  vol.  7,  part  4,  1885.       The  Society. 

Christiania. — Forehandlinger  i  Videnakabs  Selskabet,  for  1884. 
Do.  Do.  1885. 

The  Society. 

Danzig. — Schriften  der  Naturforschenden  Gesellschaft.  New 
Series,  6th  book,  parts  2,  3,  1885-86.  The  Society. 

Dublin. — Royal  Dublin  Society's  Transactions.  Vol.  3,  series  2, 
parts  4,  5,  6,  7,  8,  9,  10,  1884-85  ;  Proceedings,  vol.  4, 
parts  5,  6,  7,  8,  9,  1884-85  ;  Proceedings,  vol.  5,  parts 
I,  2,  1886.  The  Society. 

Edinburgh. — Transactions  and  Proceedings  of  the  Botanical 
Society.  Vol.  15,  part  2,  1885  ;  vol.  16,  part  i,  and  2, 
1886.  The  Society. 


41 

Emden. — Naturforschenden  Gesellschaft,  69th  year,  1883-84; 
70th  year,  1884-85.  The  Society. 

Essex. — Transactions  Essex  Field  Club.  Vol.  4,  part  i,  1885. 
Journal  of  Proceedings,  1885  ;  Appendix.  The  Society. 

Florence. — Bulletino  della  Societa  Entomologica  Italiana, 
Trimestri,  i,  2,  3,  4,  1884 ;  Statuto,  1885.     The  Society. 

Genoa. — Giornale  della  Societa  di  Letture  e  Conversazioni 
Scientifiche.  Anno  9,  {Fasc),  i,  2,  3,  4,  5,  6,  1885  ; 
anno  9,  2°  Semestre,  {Fasc.\  6,  1885  ;  supplement  to 
{Fasc.)s  anno   9,  1° Semestre,  {Fasc),  i,  2,  1886. 

GiKSSEN. — Oberhessischen  Gesslleschaft  for  Natur-und  Heil- 
kunde,  23  vol,  1884.  The  Society. 

Glasgow. — Proceedings  and  Transactions  of  the  Natural 
History  Society.  Vol.  5,  part  3,  1882-83  ;  vol.,  i, 
(N.S.;  part  2,  1883-4-5.  Index,  vols,  i  to  5,  1  1884 
and  2  1886.  The  Society. 

Proceedings  Philosophical  Society.  Vol.  16.  The  Society. 

KoLOZSVART. — Magyar  Novenytani  Lapok.  (8  evfolyam),  1884, 
and  (9  evfolyam),  1885.  The  Society. 

Lausanne. — Bulletin  de  la  Societe  Vaudoise  des  Sciences  Natur- 
elles.  2nd  series,  vol.  21,  no.  92,  1885  and  no.  93, 
1886.  The  Society. 

Leipzig. — Sitzungsberichte  der  Naturforschenden  Gesellschaft, 
nth  year,  1885.  The  Society. 

Liverpool. — Proceedings  of  the  Literary  and  Philosophical 
Society.     Vol.  38,  for  1883  and  1884.  The  Society. 

London. — Journal  of  the  Royal  Microscopical  Society.  Series 
2,  vol.  5,  parts  I,  2,  3,  4,  5,  and  6,  1885  ;  series  2  vol. 
6,  parts  I  and  2,  1886  ;  49a  index.  The  Society. 


42 

London —  Continued. 

Zoological  Society's  Proceedings.     Parts  i,  2,  3,  and  4, 
1885.  The  Society. 

Illustrations  of  British  Fungi,  by  M.  C.  Cooke.     Nos.  31 
to  41,  1885.  Lord  Clermont. 

On  some  recently  discovered  Insecta  from  Carboniferous 
and  Silurian  Rocks,  by  Herbert  Goss,  F.L.S. 

The  Author. 

Ray  Society,  Allman's  Freshwater  Polyzoa,  1856;  Cetacea 

1866;    Allman's  Hydroids,   part    i,    1871  ;   Allman's 

Hydroids,  part  2,  1872  ;  M'Intosh's  Monograph  of  the 

British  Annelids,  part  i,  The  Nemerteans,  1873;  P^^t 

2,  The  Nemerteans,  continued,  1874. 

Lord  Clermont. 

Manchester. — Transactions  of  the  Manchester  Geological 
Society.  Sessions  1885-86;  parts  8,  9,  10,  11,  12.  13, 
14,  15,   16,  17,  18,  19,  1885-86.  The  Society. 

Melbourne. — Proceedings  of  the  Victorian  Branch  of  Geo- 
graphical Society,  1886.  The  Society. 

Moscow. — Bulletin  de  la  Societe  Imperiale  Des  Naturalistes. 
No.  4,  1884.  The  Society. 

New  York. — Bulletin  of  the  American  Geographical  Society. 
Nos.  I  and  2,  1885.  The  Society. 

Annals  of  the  New  York  Academy  of  Sciences.     Vol.  3, 
parts  7,  8,  1885. 

Transactions  of  same.     Vol.  3,  1885-86  ;  vol.  5,  no.  i, 
1885-86.  The  Society. 

Odessa. — Memoirs  of  the  New  Russian  Society  of  Naturalists. 
Vol.  9,  parts  I,  2,  3,  1884.  The  Society. 

OsNABRUCK. — Sechster  Jahresbericht  des  Naturwissenschaft- 
lichen  Vereins,  1883-84,  1885.  The  Society. 


43 

Padua. — Bulletin,  Societa  Veiieto  Trentina  di  Scienze  Naturali. 
Vol.  3,  no.  3,  1885  ;  Atti,  vol.  9,  ( Fasc.)  2,  1885. 

The  Society. 

Philadelphia  (U.S.xA..) — Proceedings  of  the  Academy  of  Natural 
Sciences.  Nos.  i,  2,  3,  4,  5,  6,  1862  ;  nos.  i,  2,  3,  4,  5, 
1865  ;  nos.  I,  2,  1881  ;  no.  3,  1882  ;  part  i,  2,  1885. 

The  Society. 

Pisa. — Atti  Delia  Societa  Toscana  di  Scienze  Naturali  Processa 
Verbali.     Vols.  4  and  5,  1885-87.  The  Society. 

Richmond  (Indiana,  U.S.A.)— Bulletin  of  the  Brookville  Society 
of  Natural  History,  1885.  The  Society. 

Rio  de  Janeiro. — Conference  Faite  au  Museum  National,  1885. 

The  Society. 

Rome. — Atti  dcUa  Realle  Accadeniia  dei  Lincei.     Series  4,  vol. 
I,  parts  10  to  18,  and  20  to  26  ;  27,  28,  1885. 
Do.     Vol.  2,  {Fasc),  i,  3>  5,  6,  7,  8,  9,  10,  1886. 
Osservazioni  Meteorologiche,  1885.  The  Society. 

Sondershausen — IrmischiaKorrespondenzblattdesBotanischen 

Vereins  fur  Thuringer.     Parts  4,  5,  6,  7,  8,  9,  10,  11, 
12,  1885.  The  Society. 

Stockholm. — Das   Gehororgan  der  Wirbelthiere,  von   Gustaf 

Retzius.     Vol.  2,  1884.  The  Author. 

Academia  Royale  des  Sciences  Handlunger,  (Memoirs). 

Vols.  18,  19,  1S80,  parts  i,  2,  1881. 
Bihang,  (Supplement  to  the  Memoirs).     Vol.  6,  parts  i, 

2  ;  vol.  7,  parts  i,  2,  1885  ;  vol.  8,  parts  i,  2,  18S0-S4. 
Ofversigt,  (Bulletin),  1881,  1882,  1883. 
Lefnadsteekningar,  (Biographies)  of  Members.     Vol.  2, 

part  2,  1883.  The  Society. 

Stuggtart. — Europaische  Fauna  oder  Verzeichnung  der  Wir- 
belthiere Europa's.  Vol.  i  and  2  ;  by  Dr.  Ilcinrich 
Schinz,  1840.  Lord  Clermont. 


44 

Toronto. — Proceedings  of  the  Canadian  Institute.  Vol.  2, 
part  2,  1884  ;  and  vol.3,  part  3,  1886.         The  Society. 

Venice. — Notarisia  Commentarium  Phycologium,  Vol.  i,nos. 
I  and  2,  1886.  The  Society. 

Vienna. — Verhandlungen  der  Kaiserlich  Koniglichen  Zoolo- 
gischbotanischen  Gesellschaft.  Vol.  35,  ist  half  year  ; 
vol.  35,  2nd  half  year,  1885.  The  Society. 

Verhandlungen  der  Kaiserlich  Koniglichen  Geolo- 
gischen  Reichsanstalt.  No.  i  to  18,  1885  ;  no.  i  to  16, 
1886.  The  Society. 

Annalen  des  Kaiserlich  Koniglichen  Naturhistorischen 
Hofmuseums.     Band  i,  nos.  i,  2,  1886.       The  Society. 

Mittheilungen  des  Ornithologischen  Vereins,  Nos.  1 
to  18,  and  20  to  32,  1885  ;  i  no.  1886  ;  Section  fiir 
Geflugelzucht,  2nd  year,  nos.  i  to  26.  The  Society. 

Warwick. — Annual  Report  of  the  Warwickshire  Natural  His- 
tory and  Archaeological  Society,  1884-85. 

The  Society. 

Proceedings  of  the  Warwickshire  Naturalists'  and  Arch- 
aeologists' Field  Club,  1884.  The  Club. 

Washington. — Report  of  the  Department  of  Agriculture,  1884. 

The  Department. 

Geological  Survey.     4th  Annual  Report,  1882-83. 

The  Survey. 

Smithsonian  Contributions  to  Knowledge.     Vols.  24  and 

25,  1885  ;  Annual  Report,  1883.  The  Society. 

Bureau  of  Ethnology.     2nd  Annual  Report,  1880,  1881, 

1883  ;  3rd  Annual  Report,  1881,  1882,  1884. 

The  Society. 

Zurich. — Vierteljahrschrift  der  Naturforschenden  Gesellschaft. 
26th  year,  4  parts,  t88i  ;  27th  year,  ],  2,  3  and  4  parts, 
1882  ;  28th  year,  i,  2,  3  and  4  parts,  1883  ;  29th  year, 
I,  2,  3  and  4  parts,  1884.  The  Society.